Sacks sparse for No. 12 Gators

GAINESVILLE -- Florida hasn't put much pressure on opposing quarterbacks this season, recording a conference-low three sacks in four games.

The 12th-ranked Gators hope to change that Saturday against No. 24 LSU.

The Tigers have inexperienced quarterbacks Marcus Randall and JaMarcus Russell and have allowed 10 sacks in five games, second worst in the Southeastern Conference. Only Vanderbilt ranks lower.

Coach Ron Zook said part of Florida's problem has been its opponents. He said mobile quarterbacks like Shane Boyd of Kentucky and Matt Jones of Arkansas have kept the Gators from tallying sacks.

"Kentucky and Tennessee were coming out very, very quick and throwing the ball quick," Zook said. "I don't think (the stat) is something that we're concerned about."

The Gators had 27 sacks last season, more than two a game. Bobby McCray finished with a team-high 91/2 sacks, and fellow defensive end Darrell Lee added four. But McCray and Lee graduated, leaving little experience -- and even fewer sacks -- behind.

"Our defense is improving," Zook said. "I know everybody gets tired of hearing that, but they are. I don't see (sacks) as being a problem yet."

Late-night blues

Several players said they would rather play during the day instead of having to wait around for a 7:45 p.m. start, like Saturday's game against LSU.

"The guys would rather play early games because we're sitting up in the hotel all day just waiting, waiting for the game," safety Jarvis Herring said. "It eats you up waiting to just play. If we could play at 6 o'clock in the morning, I think we would. We hate those night games, just laying around all day and watching other teams play."

So how would a 6 a.m. start work for the fans?

"We love the fans. They make the game what it is, but it's all about the players," Herring said.

Tight ends?

Tight ends have been missing from Florida's passing game -- at least in the boxscores. No tight end has caught a pass this season.

Markell Thompson and David Kenner were expected to fill in for Ben Troupe, a second-round draft pick by the Tennessee Titans. Troupe caught a team-high 39 passes for 638 yards and five touchdowns last season.

But Thompson and Kenner have done little more than block.

"You look at Markell and David Kenner, those guys aren't the same type of guy that Ben Troupe was," Zook said.

"But we still need them because they probably do a better job of blocking and those kind of things. ... Just because you don't see Markell and David out there catching a lot of passes, I don't think you have to do that to be successful."